Page 134 - Social Studies 7

Europe is surrounded by oceans and seas on three sides. They are the Arctic
Ocean in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean and
the Black Sea on the south. Asia and Europe are separated by Ural Mountain.
The continent is known as the peninsula of peninsulas. Europe is divided into
three physical regions based on its topography. They are:

1. The North Western Highland

It is also known as Scandinavian Highland which is extended across Iceland,
Norway Sweden, Finland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This Highland
is formed by very old hard rocks. It is one of the earth's earliest landforms.

2. The Great European Plain

The great European Plain lies between the Scandinavian Highland and the
Mediterranean Region. It extends from Atlantic coasts in the south – West to
the Ural Mountains in the north east. The European rivers are not very long but
they are highly navigable. Some famous rivers of Europe are the Danube, the the
Volaga, the Rhine, the Elbe, etc. The Volga and the Danube are two long rivers of
Europe.

3. The Southern Mountain and Plateaus

The southern mountains form the Alpine mountain system. This mountain
system includes ranges in the Italian and Balkan peninsula, northern Spain and
southern France. The region includes the Pyrenees (Spain), Apennines (Italy)
mountains of the Alps Maseta plateau (Spain and Portugal), the central plateau
(France), Dinaric Alps (Yugoslavia) and plateau of Bohemia.

4. Climate and Natural Vegetation

Most of the European part lies in the Temperate Zone, so that it experiences
temperate climate. The north-west highlands enjoy pleasant and cool climate.
It is cold in the north and warm in the South. Western Europe receives rainfall
throughout the year. The Mediterranean region receives winter rainfall which is
very good for cultivation. This region is very suitable for growing fruits. So this
region is called the garden of the world .

Tundra climate is found in Scandinavian region in which small mosses, lichens
and fern grow. The Reindeer feeds on these tiny plants.

The taiga is comprised of coniferous forest with trees like pine, fir and spruce.
Moose bear and elk are native to the European Taiga.

Steppes are a grassland found in the eastern part of Europe. There is hot in
summer and very cold in winter. Steppes are treeless grassland. The rainfall is
not sufficient here for the growth of trees.

Dynamic Social Studies and Population Education - Book VII 134